Medicine Supply Notification: Levofloxacin 250mg and 500mg tablets
Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) has issued a medicine supply notification for Levofloxacin 250mg and 500mg tablets
MSN/2025/017
Tier 2 medium impact
Date of issue: 27th March 2025
- Levofloxacin 250mg tablets are in limited supply until late April 2025
- Levofloxacin 500mg tablets are in limited supply until late May 2025.
- Alternative antibiotics remain available and can support increased demand (see supporting information).
- Where alternative antibiotics are not suitable, unlicensed supplies of levofloxacin tablets may be sourced, lead times vary.
Unlicensed products
The following specialist importers have confirmed they can source unlicensed levofloxacin 250mg and 500mg tablets (please note there may be other companies that can also source supplies):
If there is currently no listing on dm+d for the imported product for prescribers to select using their prescribing systems an EPS prescription for the unlicensed product cannot be issued. Where a prescriber wishes to prescribe a specially manufactured or imported product, an FP10 paper prescription should be issued as Levofloxacin ‘X’mg tablets (Special Order)’ and endorsed by the pharmacy as a non-Part VIII special with the following information:
- Amount dispensed over pack size used;
- Invoice price per pack size from which the order was supplied less any discount or rebate;
- Manufacturers’/importers’ MHRA licence number;
- Batch number of the product supplied;
- SP
A copy of this medicine supply notification, including further information, has been sent to all pharmacy NHS email addresses.
DHSC and NHS England have now launched an online Medicines Supply Tool, which provides up to date information about medicine supply issues. The contents of these MSNs can now be viewed on the Tool
The Tool also details any changes to resupply dates and updates to the entries.
To access the Tool you will need an NHS email address. Once set up and logged in, you will be able to access it online.
New shortages not listed on the SPS website, can be reported using our shortage reporting tool.
